French Creek (Schuylkill River tributary) facts for kids
French Creek is a beautiful stream in Pennsylvania. It flows for about 22.6 miles (36.4 km). French Creek is a tributary of the Schuylkill River. This means it is a smaller stream that flows into a larger river. It runs through Berks and Chester counties.
Long ago, French Creek had other names. It was called Saukanac Creek. It was also known as the Vincent River. This name came from Sir Mathias Vincent. He bought land along the creek in 1686.
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Journey of French Creek
French Creek flows through a special area called the Hopewell Big Woods. This includes French Creek State Park. The creek eventually joins the Schuylkill River in Phoenixville. French Creek is so special that it is named a Pennsylvania Scenic River. This means it is protected for its natural beauty.
A Look at History
The valley around French Creek was very important long ago. It was a key area for making iron in the early United States.
Iron Making Along the Creek
Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site is a place along French Creek. It teaches us about this history. People used to make iron here a long time ago. The Phoenix Iron Works was another big iron and steel factory. It was in Phoenixville, right by the creek. This factory made iron and steel from colonial times until the late 1900s.
Protecting French Creek
People work hard to keep French Creek clean and healthy. They want to protect its special water quality.
Upgrading Water Quality
In 1994, a group called the Green Valleys Association (GVA) started a project. They wanted to upgrade French Creek's water quality. They asked the Pennsylvania Environmental Quality Board to change its status. They wanted it to go from "High Quality" (HQ) to "Exceptional Value" (EV). "Exceptional Value" is the highest protection for a waterway. It means the water is very clean and supports special plants and animals.
In 1998, part of French Creek got this upgrade. The area west of PA 100 became an "Exceptional Value" stream. A nearby stream called Birch Run also got this protection.
Later, in 2003, Green Valleys Association asked for more upgrades. They wanted the lower parts of French Creek to become "Exceptional Value." This part goes from the Kennedy Covered Bridge upstream to PA 100. The entire Beaver Run stream was also included. This request was accepted in 2004. It is still being reviewed to make sure it gets the full protection.
